diverdown wrote:
Well Doc, I'm coming up on my 54th also. I also can't believe I made it this far with the same woman. She has put up with a lot. A Police Officer's wife has to put up with a lot and she did this with me for almost 22 years. (Ask the other officers on this forum) She's a great wife and being of Italian extraction I have one of the best Chef's that you could imagine!!!!!!
A good post, and you are correct that the wife of a LEO will make incredible sacrifice for her marriage. That does stimulate me to make a few observations, if I may be so bold as to put them into electronic format.
There is no such thing as an "easy" marriage. There can be so many pressures that the family is sometimes reduced to a secondary concern. Without thinking about what we are doing, we sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate. The demands of the moment often necessitate focusing on what we are doing to the exclusion of the impact on our wives. This is when our spouse demonstrates that she is more than a mere adjunct to our lives. When we are under pressure, our gracious ladies reveal that they are the source of unseen strength that enables us to persevere and perform the hard tasks. The wise man lets his lady know that he recognizes her as a source of strength and stability enabling him to do what is necessary for the benefit of his family and, yes, even for society. It does cut two ways, and yes, wives will draw upon the commitment and strength of their husbands as surely as we men depend upon the steadying presence of our wives.
I can't speak firsthand of the sacrifices required of the wife of a police officer, but I can speak secondhand of their strength and of what they contribute to the marriage. I've observed this situation through friendships and as pastor to families representative of LEOs. I can't speak firsthand of the wife of a soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine, but I can speak secondhand of the commitment of the wives of such men through sharing in their lives as a pastor and a chaplain. I can speak from firsthand knowledge of the contributions of the wife of a scientist--a man who at times must spend as much as ninety-six hours straight in the laboratory working with pathogens that can kill. I can speak with firsthand knowledge of the contributions of the wife of a pastor as she sees him respond to demands placed on him by the trials of people who are grieving, of people who are broken and in pain, of people who are watching the dissolution of their lives and homes. I would believe that any conscientious man will at times place demands on his wife, not because he wants to burden her, but because he is committed to doing the hard tasks his work demands and because he wants to be the best person his wife and children can know.
I know that the wives of those working in the oil patch, the wives of those who are starting businesses, the wives of those who work with their tools, each have their unique demands; and in the main, these gracious ladies are the secret to success whatever the men may be called to do.
I congratulate Mark and his lady. They didn't arrive at thirty-seven years by merely cruising through life. Their story could no doubt speak of some hard times, just as it could speak of some especially sweet times. Through it all, they were growing strong together. A wise man once wrote, "A man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him--a threefold cord is not quickly broken." A husband and wife are more than the sum of two people; they grow into a strong entity that is more than the strength of the two. Again, congratulations Mark, and congratulations to each of you who are celebrating years together. I can speak with some authority that despite any pressure, it only gets better as you work together.
'Nuff said.
Keep up the good work! 
